Sotheby’s two wine auctions achieved a combined total of HK$35.2 million / US$4.5 million, exceeding the combined pre-sale estimate (HK$26 million / US$3.4 million).
The top lots for each sale were Romanée-Conti 1989 (1 methuselah – 6 liters) which sold for HK$875,000 / US$112,179 (Est. HK$500,000 – 800,000 / US$65,000 – 100,000), and Hermitage La Chapelle, Paul Jaboulet Aîné 1961 (6 bottles) which fetched HK$735,000 / US$94,231 (Est. HK$280,000 – 380,000 / 35,000 – 50,000) respectively.
This is the third time Sotheby’s has offered wines direct from the cellars of Paul Jaboulet Aîné and the 60-year retrospective from 1949 to 2010 was enthusiastically received by collectors. The first public offering of Caroline Frey’s “Duo” was eagerly anticipated by bidders. This innovative, equal-parts blend of Hermitage La Chapelle and Château La Lagune (both owned by the Frey family) were snapped up by collectors with the 3 liter Jeroboam of 2007 achieving HK$11,025 / US$1,413 (Est. HK$4,000 – 6,000 / US$500 – 700).
Mature Bordeaux from top vintages were strongly contested in the saleroom, highlighted by Château Pétrus 1982 (12 bottles), achieving HK$367,500 / US$47,115 (Est. HK$300,000 – 420,000 / US$37,500 – 55,000), and Château Lafite 1982 (12 bottles), fetching HK$367,500 / US$47,115 (Est. HK$260,000 – 400,000 / US$32,500 – 50,000). Top Red Burgundy was also in strong demand with the wines of Henri Jayer and DRC being the most popular. The rarity of Masseto was also well appreciated as enthusiastic Asian bidders battle over five formats of the 2008. The 5 lots (bottles, magnums and a double magnum, imperial and 15 liter Nebuchadnezzar) totalled HK$392,000 / US$50,256 against a pre-sale estimate of HK$274,000 – 412,000.
Jamie Ritchie, President, Americas & Asia, Sotheby’s Wine, comments after the sale of Only DRC – A Private Cellar of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, “It was an exciting opportunity to be able to offer a complete sale of wines only from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and I doubt if we will ever be able to repeat this unique sale. It came as no surprise that we saw active bidding throughout Asia and the sale was 100% sold, with demand for the very limited production of Romanée-Conti and Montrachet receiving the highest level of interest and achieving the strongest results.”
Commenting on today’s sale of Finest and Rarest Wines, Robert Sleigh, Head of Sotheby’s Wine, Asia, says, “Hermitage La Chapelle in iconic vintages such as 1961, 1978 and 1990 created enthusiastic bidding with collectors placing a premium on the pristine ex-domaine provenance. Burgundy continued its popular rise in Asia’s wine consciousness with the wines of the late Henri Jayer dominating the top lots.”
